US golfer John Daly reacts after missing a fairway shot on the 1st hole during the first round of the Australian Open golf tournament in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011. Daly walked off the course at the Australian Open on Thursday after hitting at least five or six balls _ officials aren't sure of the number _ into the water on the 11th hole at The Lakes. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Photo: Rob Griffith, AP

US golfer John Daly reacts after missing a fairway shot on the 1st...

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 10: Geoff Ogilvy of Australia looks to the sky as rain falls during day one of the 2011 Emirates Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club at The Lakes Golf Club on November 10, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 10: Bill Haas of the USA plays his second shot on the 15th Hole during day one of the 2011 Emirates Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club at The Lakes Golf Club on November 10, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Photo: Ryan Pierse, Getty Images

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 10: Bill Haas of the USA plays his...

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 10: Tiger Woods of the USA watches his second shot at the 1st hole during day one of the 2011 Emirates Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club at The Lakes Golf Club on November 10, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods topped the leaderboard for the first time in nearly a year today after he shot 5-under-par 67 in the second round of the Australian Open.

Woods ran off a string of impressive shots in Sydney, the best a 3-wood from 280 yards into a 15-mph wind on the par-5 eighth hole, setting up a two-putt birdie. He stood at 9-under and took a one-shot lead over Peter O'Malley (66).

Jason Day, playing alongside Woods, birdied the last hole to shoot 68, leaving him two strokes back.

This is the first time Woods has led after a round since the third round of the Chevron World Challenge in December 2010. It's also the first time he has led after a round in a full-field event since his last victory, two years ago this week in the Australian Masters.

"I really played well," Woods said. "Even though I shot 5-under, it felt like it could have been 8 or 9 deep."

Said Robert Allenby, who played with Woods and Day: "Tiger's on his way back, that's for sure. I think where he is right now is good enough to win."

Daly in hot water: John Daly hit seven balls into the water on the 11th hole and stormed off the course in Thursday's opening round in Sydney. Already with a tarnished reputation Down Under, he might have gone too far with Australia's golf hierarchy.

Daly was banned from playing in the Australian PGA in two weeks.

"It's very disappointing for the tournament ... that he has treated the championship this way," said Trevor Herden, Golf Australia's director of tournaments. "It is a bit of a habit."

Daly was 7-over-par through 10 holes after becoming upset on No. 10, where he mistakenly hit a practice ball out of a bunker, believing it was his tee shot. The two-shot penalty and subsequent three-putt gave him a triple bogey.

Inkster leads: Hall of Famer Juli Inkster shot a bogey-free, 5-under 67 to share the first-round lead with Suzann Pettersen in the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Inkster, 51, is trying to become the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history. Beth Daniel was 46 when she won the 2003 Canadian Women's Open.

Briefly: Phil Mickelson was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Mickelson, 41, received 72 percent of votes cast on the PGA Tour ballot. ... Woods signed a golf-bag endorsement deal with Fuse Science, Inc., a Florida-based sports nutrition company.